Today, the Indiana State Police Putnamville District held the second of three Safe School/Active Shooter Training sessions for school administrators in the Putnamville district. The training session was held at North Vermillion High School and attended by 35 personnel from Parke and Vermillion county school corporations, along with representatives from the Indiana State Police, Vermillion County Sheriff’s Office, Terre Haute Police Department, Cayuga Police Department, Cayuga Fire Department, and Vermillion County EMS. An additional training session will be held on August 8, 2013 at the Sullivan High School in Sullivan County.

The training consisted of a power point presentation by the Indiana State Police, a “break out session” where troopers and other law enforcement trainers instructed the attendees on proper tactics for survival during an active shooter event, and an active shooter scenario where troopers and other law enforcement officers use blank ammunition in firearms. The scenario was designed to give the administrators a feel of what it might be like during an actual active shooter situation. In today’s scenario, the shooter methodically walked the hallways shooting at random “victims” for several minutes before the first police officers arrived at the scene. Once on the scene, officers displayed how they urgently and tactically must navigate the school looking for the shooter which can also take several minutes. Troopers gave the attendees a narration of events during the scenario to keep the attendees apprised of the number of minutes that have passed before officers were able to finally confront the shooter and eliminate the threat.

The training session was the result of several months of preparation by Indiana State Police in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Education to provide training for school administrators on the proper response to an active shooter.

The Indiana State Police has been tasked to serve as the lead agency in coordinating active shooter training with local school corporations throughout the entire state. Indiana State Police Superintendent, Douglas Carter with the highest support of Governor Mike Pence, has initiated this active shooter training program for school administrators. One of Superintendent Carter’s and Governor Pence’s highest priorities, after they took office, was to ensure that every effort was made to provide the safest possible environment for all of the children in the State of Indiana.

This coordinated effort was launched early on with the Department of Education to create and implement a statewide training program that would involve all parties responsible for the care and safety of our children. This program, which was already in the developmental stages before the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, has come to be known as the “Safe Schools/Active Shooter” program. Dr. Rich Hogue of the Department of Education has been assigned as a liaison with the Indiana State Police to assist in this endeavor.

The purpose of this program is to educate school administrative personnel on proper response to an active shooter situation, how law enforcement responds to active shooter situations, and what school personnel can do to mitigate injury and the loss of life in an active shooter situation.

If you are interested in having a Safe School/Active Shooter presentation done at your school or want more information about the program, contact the Public Information Officer at your Indiana State Police Post. To find your local ISP PIO visit http://www.in.gov/isp/2365.htm and click on your county.

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